Machine for sewing on buttons.



BEST AVAiLABLE COP" No. 761,285. PATENTED MAYSl, 1904.

F. H. CHILTON.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTONS. APPLIOATION FILED 00123, 1903.

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BEST AVAiLABLE CUP PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

P. H. CHILTON. MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTO NS.

APPLIQATION IILED OUT. 23, 1903.

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I. H. CHILTON. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

APPLIOATIOK IILBD QGTJK, 1903.

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P'ATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED 00123, 1903..

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No. 761,285. PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

F. H. CHILTON.

MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

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F. H. CHILTON. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

APPLIOATIOK FILED OCIT. 23, 1903.

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QEST AVALABLE COP: r PATENTEDAMAY 31, 1904.

F. H. CHILTON.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTONS. .nrmonxon rum) 001*. 23, 903.

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WITNESSES:

%EST AVAILABLE COP Patented May 31, 19041 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN H. CHIIJTON', OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHILTON SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEI'V YORK.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,285, dated May 31, 1904.

Application fil d October 23, 1903.

' To (all whom, it 771,04 concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN I-I. CHILTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Machines for Sewing on Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvementsin attachments for machines for sewing on buttons; and it consists in the novel features, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. 7

The invention made the subject of this application embodies certain improvements, hereinafter pointed out, on portions of the attachments made the subject of Letters Patent N 0. 663,694, granted December 11, 1900, to Franklin H. Chilton, and No. 685,815, granted November 5, 1901, to Franklin H. Chilton.

I have embodied my invention in the mechanism or attachment hereinafter described and claimed for application to the presser-foot bar and bed-plate of a sewing-machine, the said attachment comprising a magazine for holding a number of the buttons and feeding said buttons one after another for application to the fabric, means for initially arresting thebuttons as fed from said magazine in proper position to be taken hold of by other portions of the attachment, means for properly alining the holes of the buttons and carrying the buttons below the path of the sewing-needle, and means for holding the buttons during the sewing operation.

The attachment made the subject hereof in addition to the features hereinbefore mentioned comprises other cooperating features for giving effect to the main parts of the at tachmcnt, and these will be fully described, hereinafter in connection with the explana-, tion of the construction and operation of the, attachment. The main features of the attachment comprise the magazine for holding a quantity of the buttons and permitting them to feed outward one after another upon the base-plate of the attachment, the means for through holes in the buttons.

Serial Ni). 178,171. (No model.)

sewing them upon the fabric has been effected.

In presenting the attachment in this application I have illustrated the same as applied to a well-known for-m and construction of sewingmachine for sewing on buttons, one part of the attachment, or the means for holding the buttons during the sewing operation, being connected with the presser-foot bar of said machine, so as to be raised and lowered thereby,

and also connected with usual means for shifting the lower end of said bar, so that after one pair ofeyes or holes in the buttons have received the proper number of stitches the means or jaws for holding the buttons may move laterally or lengthwise of the sewing-machine head, so as to bring the other pair of eyes or holes of the button into proper position to re-- eeive their stitches. The presser-foot bar, to which the holding-jaws of my attachment are secured, has. as usual, a vibratory motion, which moves the said jaws back and forth toward and from the operator, so that the needle may pass from one hole or eye into the other hole or eye of the buttons. The vibratory presser-foot bar and the means for moving the button-holding jaws laterally are wellknown in this art and are in common use on machines for sewing on buttons. It is also customary in the class of machines to which my invention pertains to employ a stop-motion and proper regulating'means for auto-, matically stopping the machine after a definite number of stitches have been sewed It is customaryto so regulate the machines that any number of stitches may be sewed through the holes of e button before the machine is anmatically stopped, and in the present instance I contemplate the sewing of about from five to eight stitches through each pair of buttonholes preparatory to the automatic stoppage of the machine. In some of the well-known machines for sewing on buttons the needle is caused to vibrate laterally, so as to pass from one-hole of the button into the next adjoining hole thereof, and in machines of this character the button-holding jaws of my attachment would not vibrate laterally, but only move toward or from the operator, so that after one pair of holes has received the stitches the other pair of holes could be presented to the needle. In the majority of instances, however, machines for sewing on buttons have needles which do not have any vibratory motion, and in such machines it is necessary to vibrate the jaws holding the button, so

that the holes of the button may be delivered to the needle. I illustrate in the accompanying drawings a portion of one of the latter and partly in section, of a usual type of sewing-' machine for sewing on buttons with my attachment applied thereto, the magazine for holding and feeding the buttons being represented by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of same, this figure representing the front side of the machine or that at which the operator will sit. Fig. 3 is a like View, partly in section,taken from the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the sewing-machine with my attachment applied thereto. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the attachment, this figure showing the button-holding jaws prepared to receive a button at the pointof sewing and a button as having been fed from the magazine to the preliminary button-centering devices from which it is thereafter moved to the said holding-jaws. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of same on the dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 5, Fig. 6 in addition representing a rotary chuck as having engaged the button preparatory to effecting the movement of the button from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 to its position between the holding jaws, by

which the button is held during the sewing operation. Fig. 7 is a like section of same and illustrates the position of the partsafte'r the button has been moved from its position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to its sewing-on position, in which it is shown in Fig. 7, and after the chuck has moved upwardly from the button preparatory to the return movement of said chuck free of the button. Figs. 8 to 19, inclusive, are detached views of some of the BEST AVAlLABLE COP.

parts of the attachment and each of which is identified hereinafter by reference-numerals. Fig. 20 is a detached bottom view of the magazine feed-disk and mechanism for driving the same, a part of the pawl-plate being broken away; and Figs. 21, 22, and 23 are perspective views of detached parts hereinafter identified by reference-numerals In the drawings, 25 denotes the head of a sewing-machine for sewing on buttons, said machine having the usual rotary shuttle 26, needle-bar 27, needle 28, and presser-foot bar 29,- to which bar 29 is secured a part of my attachment, the other portion thereof being applied to the bed-plate of the sewing-machine headl That portion of my attachment applied to the presser-foot bar 29 constitutes a presser-foot and comprises the corresponding right and left arms 30 31, pivotally sup ported upon screws 32 33 and suspended from the presser-foot bar 29 by means of a plate 34, carrying a stud 35, which is detachably held on the lower end of the bar 29 between upper and lower nuts 36, as shown in Fig. 4, in a well-known manner, there being nothing new in either the plate 34 or stud 35. The upper facing portions of the arms 30 31 are toothed and engage each other, as illustrated in 'Fig. 2, and hence the lower portions of said arms may have a'corresponding movement toward and from each other, the said arms 30 31 normally being yieldingly drawn toward each other by means of a coiledspring 37, connected at its ends with said arms, Fig. 2.

Upon the rear face of the plate 34, which is rigidly held on the presser-foot bar 29, is pivotally secured upon a pivot-screw 38, Fig. 3, a plate 39, which is supported from the plate 34 and against the rear face of which the upper toothed ends of the arms 30 31 are held upon the pivot-screws 32 33, this plate 39 as well as the toothed upper ends of the arms 30 31, being of usual form and purpose in this art. At its outer end the plate 39 is formed with a rearwardly-turned ear 40, through a threaded aperture in which a set-screw 41 is applied for engaging a finger 42 of the bracket 43, fastened by screws, as shown in Fig. 3, upon the arm 31'. The screw 41 and finger 42 afford means for limiting the closing movement of the lower portions of the arms 30 31 toward each other in a well-known manner in this art. At its inner end the braeket43 is formed with a lip 44, above which the head 25 is equipped with astop-serew 45, as usual, so that when the presser-foot bar 29 is elevated the lip 44 may meet and be held down by the lower end of said screw while the presser-foot bar continues its upward movement, this being, as usual, for the purpose of opening the lower ends of the arms 30 31 from each other to effect the release of the button then fastened upon the fabric. When the presser-foot bar is again lowered, the lip 44 will pass from engagement with the stop-screw 45, and the lower portions of the arms 31 will be reversed in their movement or drawn toward each other by means of the coiled spring 37. The plate 39, carrying the arms 30 31 and bracket 43, is pivotally mounted upon the screw 38, so as to permit the said plate and the parts carried thereby to yield or turn to a limited extent under and during the lateral movement imparted thereto when it is desired to shift one pair of the holes of the button from under V the needle-bar and move the other pair of holes of said button into position below said bar for sewing, and then when the button is moved back to its first position immediately preceding the automatic stoppage of the machine preparatory to the release of the button. I employ no new mechanism for imparting the pivotal movement to the plate 39 and parts connected therewith, but simply equip the inner end of the plate 39 with an arm 46 and connect the lower end of this arm by a link 47 with a rod 48, adjustably secured in the usualmanner and by the usual means to the customary'lever-arm 49, Fig. 1, pivotally held at one end by a screw-stud 50, the bar 49, screw 50, and parts intermediate said arm 49 and plate 39, including the plate 39, being well known in this art and connected with the usual mechanism of sewing-machines for moving said plate 39, and through it the means. for holding the button after the correct number of stitches have been sewed through one pair of the holes of the button, and then returning said parts to their initial condition after the proper number of stitches have been sewed through the other pair of holes of the button preparatory to the automatic stoppage of the machine with its parts in their initial position. The arm 49 has a pivotal movement on the screw-stud 50, and hence when moving in one direction will pull on the arm 46 to turn the plate 39 and when moved in the other direction will, through the intermediate connections, press against the arm 46 to turn the plate 39 in the reverse direction.

The novel features of that part of the attachment supported from the presser-foot bar 29 reside in the construction of the lower ends of the arms 30 31, whereat are provided the inwardly-extending corresponding shoes 51 52 and corresponding pivoted jaws 53 54, which cooperate with said shoes in effectually holding the buttons at the point of sewing. The shoes 51 52 are thin strips of metal and in their initial position to receive a button are, as shown in Fig. 2,- on oppositely-inclined lines, so that they incline downwardly toward each other, the inner edges of said shoes being separated from each other and at their outer portion at the point of sewing being formed with the recesses 55, Fig. 5, so that the holes or eyes of the buttons may lie in wardly beyond the edges of said shoes. The shoes 51 52*are rigidly secured to the lower ends of the arms 30 31 by means of the screws 56, the upper portions of which screws operate as pivots for the button-holding jaws 53 54, whose inner edges adjacent to the recesses 55 in the shoes 51 52 are formed with the triangular recesses 57, within which the buttons during the sewing operations are held. At their rear portions the jaws 53 54 curve outwardly from each other, so as to conveniently receive the button when the latter is delivered to said jaws, and the facing edges of the jaws 53 54 are beveled or undercut, so that they may hold down the edges of the button during the sewing operation and prevent the needle from pulling the button upward from the fabric. The jaws 53 54 are yieldingly pressed toward each other by means of compressed coiled springs 58, Figs. 1 and 5, held at their outer. ends against the facing edges of the arms 30 31 and at their inner ends against the outer edges of the jaws 53 54. The jaws 53 54 rest upon the shoes 51 52 and are inclined correspondingly with said shoes; but the said jaws are shorter than the said shoes, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, so that the buttons may first be fed upon the shoes before they become engaged by the jaws.' The jaws 53 54 will yield outwardly from each other when a button is pressed between them and theywill grasp the button and hold it down upon the shoes 51 52 by reason of the pressure of the springs 58. The jaws 53 54 are prevented from unduly approaching each other by reason of the fact that their front or outer ends at their outer side edges will contact with shoulders 59 on the arms 30 31 should the inner ends of the jaws be pressed unduly toward each other, said shoulders 59 acting as stops to limit the inward movement of the inner ends of the jaws 53 54. I regard as novel and as a part of my invention the arms 30 31, having at their inwardly-projecting converging lower ends the shoes 51 52 and spring-jaws 53 54 for receiving and holding the buttons during the sewing operation.

I have described above those portions of my attachment which are directly carried by the presser-foot bar 29. The other portions of my attachment comprise the button holding and feeding magazine 60, which is supported upon a bracket 61 from the bed-plate 62 of the general machine-head, and mechanism for receiving the buttons from said magazine and alining the holes or eyes thereof-for the sewing-needle and then'delivering the same to the button-holding jaws 53 54, and this mechanism is supported upon an auxiliary or attachment bed-plate 63, which is screwed down upon the main bed-plate 62 in the rear of the vertical path of the presserfoot bar 29.

I will first describe the button-hold in g magazine and then the mechanism mounted upon the auxiliary base-plate 63.

The button-magazine 60 comprises an we terior shallow cylindrical casing 64, fastened by screws upon the upper inclined end of the bracket 61. The bottom of the casing 64 is provided with a central post 65, upon which is loosely arranged the magazine feeding-disk 66, the latter at its center having the hub 67 loosely fitting upon the said post and at its upper edges being about on a line with or very slightly above the said post. Upon the upper end of the post 65 is fastened by a screw 68 a disk 69 whose outer edges press upon the upper edges of the hub 67, the purpose of this disk 69 being to create just enough friction against the hub 67 to'prevent the disk 66 from having undue freedom of movement. The disk 66 has an intermittent motion imparted to it for feeding the buttons one after another, and hence it is desired that said disk shall not rotate too freely, but shall be under a yielding resistance, so that it may be properly controlled, and, this yielding resistance in the present instance is created by the pressure of the edges of the friction disk 69 against the upper edges of the hub 67. The outer edges of the disk 66 extend outwardly to the side walls of the casing 64 of the magazine 60, and upon the upper surface of this disk 66 is formed the series of recesses 70, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) each of the recesses 70 being adapted to hold one button. Upon the lower surface of the feeding-disk 67 is fastened a ratchet-wheel 71, Figs. 3 and 20, this ratchet-wheel 71 being upon the downwardly-projecting portion of the hub 67, and upon the lower end of the hub 67 intermediate the ratchet-plate 71 and the floor of the casing 64 is placed the pawl-plate 72, which is adapted to have an oscillatory motion imparted to it and carries an ordinary form of spring-pawl 73 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 71. The throw of the plate 72 in one direction will, through the pawl 73 and ratchet 71, drive the feeding-disk 66 a distance equal to the space between two of the recesses 7 O of said disk, and when the plate 72 is moved in the reverse direction the pawl 73 will slide over the teeth of the ratchet 71 without affecting the plate 66, the latter at this time being held stationary by its own inertia and the pressure of the friction-disk 69 upon the hub 67. The plate 72 has pivotally connected with it a pivoted link or rod 74, the outer end of said rod 74 being loosely or pivotally secured upon a post 75, Fig. 3, carried by a bracket 7 6, fastened by screws to the arm 77 of a bell-crank lever 78. (Shown in top elevation in Fig. 1.) During the employment of the attachment the arm 77 of the bell-crank lever 78 is moved inwardly or toward the front for the purpose of effecting the delivery of a button to the button-holding jaws 53 54, as hereinafter explained, and during this movement of the said arm 77 it will, through the bracket 76, post 75, rod 74, pawlplate 72, pawl 73, and ratchet 71, impart a BEST AVAlLABLE COP limited rotary movement to the feeding-disk 66, this being just suflicient to effect the movement of one of the button holding recesses 70 from the outlet-aperture 79, Fig. 3, from the casing 64 and to bring thenext adjoining recess 7 0 into line with said aperture 79, so that the button in said recess 70 may then escape or slide through said aperture 79 and pass upon the inclined feed-outlet button slideway or chute 80, which leads downwardly to the button-centering devices hereinafter referred to. Upon the return outward movement of the lever-arm 77 toward the rear the post and link-rod 74 will return the pawlplate 72 and pawl 73 to their normal initial position with respect to the ratchet 71; but during such return movement the button-feed disk 66 will remain stationary. The buttonmagazine 60 is provided with an inlet-slideway 81, upon which the operator will place the buttons one after another for feeding them to the recesses 70 of the magazine-disk 66, it being the intention that while a button is being sewed upon the fabric the operator will utilize that period in placing another button upon the slideway 81 to enter the empty recess 70 then in-line with said slideway. In this manner all of the receptacles 70 of the magazine-disk except those intermediate the outlet-slideway 80 and inlet-slideway 81 may be kept charged with buttons, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1. For convenience I secure upon one side of the vertical arm of the head'25 a tray 82 to hold a number of buttons, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the operator may during the sewing of a button upon the fabric be enabled to feed another button upon the inlet-slideway 81 which is adjacent to said tray.

Within the upper edges of the casing 64 of the magazine 60 I employ a glass plate 83, which covers the disk 66 and enables the operator to observe all of the button-holding recesses 70, as well as the buttons in said recesses. It will be the duty of the operator when placing the buttons upon the inlet-slideway 81 to have their upper-side topmost, because otherwise the buttons would issue upon the outlet-slideway 80 with their wrong side up. Adjacent to the outer end of the pawl-plate 72 I cutaway a portion of the floor of the magazine-casing 64, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to permit the rod 74 and said plate 72 to have their proper movement. The magazine 60 istherefore supported from the main bed-plate 62 upon a bracket 61, and its only connection with the other portions of the mechanism constituting my attachment is through the link 74, by which the pawl-plate 72 is operatively connected with the bell-crank-lever arm 77. The buttons which leave the magazine upon the outlet-slideway 80 simply pass to the centering devices hereinafter referred to, which are independent of the said slideway, this slideway 80 being in the form of a sheet-metal point of sewing.

chute having a flat bottom and side flanges for retaining the button until it passes over the lower end of the slideway.

I will now describethe means for confining and centering the buttons as they one aft-er another descend over the lower end of the outlet button-slideway 80, the means for then.

alining the holes or eyes of the buttons. and the means for delivering the thus-adjusted buttons to the button-holding jaws 53 5 1 at the point of sewing. I

The buttons as they pass from the lower end of the outlet-slideway fall upon a thin steel plate to substantially the position at which the button 86 is shown atFig. 5, this plate 85 being held at its ends upon the bed-plate 63 a short distance above the main bed-plate 62, so that the plate 85 may be slightly yielding below the button 86, this being an important feature and enabling said plate85 to yield to the varying thicknesses of buttons, especially when the clamping means hereinafter referred to is pressed downwardly upon the uppershrface of the button by a positive action. At

its front edge, facing the operator, the plate plate 85 is slightly higher than the shoes 51 52, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and atits rear edge the said plate 85 is below the upper edge of a bar 87, fastened by screws, as shown in- Fig. 5, upon the bed-plate 63, this bar 87 preventing the buttons upon falling from the slideway 80 from passing rearwardly from the plate 85. At the left hand of the front end of the bed plate 63 is provided, Fig. 1, between guides 88 an adjustable plate 89, the latter having a slot 90 and being adjustably held upon the bed-p1ate 63 by means of a screw 91 passing through said slot. The plate 89 has pivotally' secured to its inner end upon a screw 92 the button-centering plate 93, which extends over upon the yielding button bedplate 85 and has a V-shaped recess at its inner end, which terminates about in line with the The rear edge of the plate 93 is normally held against the bar 87 as a stop by means of the coiled spring 9 1, fastened at one end to said plate 93 and at the.

other end upon a screw entering a stationary part of the bed-plate 63. The button-centering plate'93 may when the button 86 is being pushed from its position shown in Fig. 5 to that illustrated in Fig. 7 yield frontwardly,

so as to release the button and permit it to be inoved upon the shoes 51 52 and between the holding-jaws 53 54. Upon the right-hand end of the yielding button bed-plate 85 is arranged the left-hand end of a button-centering slideplate 95, this end of said plate being adapted when moved toward the left to the position shown in Fig. 5 to press against the button 86 and move the same fully into the V-shaped recess at the righ t-han d end of the pivoted centering-plate 93 preparatory to the further handling of said button for alining its holes or eyes and moving it upon the shoes 51 52,-

as herein after explained. The centering-plate 95 is mounted upon a flat slide-plate 96, Fig. 23, being there held by two serews97, Fig. 1, which pass upwardly through slots formed in said plate 95, so as to allow the plate 95 to have a limited sliding movement independently of its carrying-plate 96, so that said plate 95 may yield to the varying diameters of buttons and yieldingly press against the edges of the buttons. The plate 95 is yieldingly drawn toward the centering-plate 93 by means of a coiled spring 98, Fig. 1, one end of which is fastened to the plate 95 and the other end to one of the screws 97, and this spring 98 operates to draw the plate 95 toward the buttons 86 on the bed-plate 85, but allows said plate 95 to yield to the varyingdiameters of the buttons. The plate'96, carrying the centering-plate 95, is mounted between guides 99, 100, formed along the edge of the auxiliary baseplate63,.so that 'it may have a sliding motion in said guides, and the said plate 96 receives its sliding motion by the engagement therewith of v the inner end of a slotted pivoted lever 101. (Shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11 and in operative position in' Fig. 1. The inner end of the lever 101 merely enters a recess in the edge of the slide .96 and'during its vibration from its pivot-screw 102 causes the plate 96 to slide first in one direction and then in the other between the guides 99. and 100. The plate 96 has at its right-hand end an car 103, carrying a post 104 within a slot at one end of the double-ended lever 105, which is pivotally secured upon the bracket 106 and is adapted to have a pivotal oscillatory motion imparted to it by said post 1041 during the sliding movement of the plate 96. That arm of the lever opposite-to the post 104 is numbered 107 and confines within its elongated slot the upper end of a post 108, which projects upwardly from a slide numbered 109, held upon the front vertical edge of the'bed- .plate 63, being there held by lips 110 (shown "reciprocating or sliding motion imparted to it from the pivoted lever 105.

At its lefthand end the bar 109 carries a button-guide finger 113. which is held in position by means of screws 11 i and 115, the screw passing through a loose hole or slot in the finger 113, so as to permit said finger to be adjusted outwardly or inwardly on its pivot-point 114: in accordance with the size of the buttons fed to'the machine The finger 113 has its movement at its operative end over the front edge of the yielding button bed-plate 8 5, and it may here be stated that the said finger in Fig. 1 is shown in its outer position, while the centering-plate 95 is shown at its inner operative position pressing against the edge of the button on the bed-plate 85. By reason of the employment of the double-ended lever 105 it'will be obvious that when the sliding plate 96 and button-centering slide 95 are by means of the lever 101' pressed toward the button-centering plate 93 the arm 107 of the lever 105 will, through the bar109, Withdraw the finger -113 toward the right and that when under the action of the lever 101 the sliding plate96 and plate 95 are moved toward the right. in a direction from the centering-plate 93 the lever 105'will be turned on its pivot and through its arm 107 movethe bar 109 and finger 113 toward the left, the finger 113 thus moving toward the left when the centering-plate 95 moves toward the right and moving toward the right when the said centering-plate 95 is moved toward the left. hen thebutton falls from the outlet-slideway 80 upon the yielding bed-plate 85, the centering-plate 95 will be at its extreme position to the right and the'finger 113 will be at its extreme position to the left, and thus the button will fall upon the yielding bedplate 85 within a space defined at its rear edge by the bar-87, at its front edge by the finger 113, at its left-hand edge by the V- shaped notch of the centering-plate 93, and at its right-hand edge by the end of the centerlng-plate 95, the latter, as above mentioned, then being at its extreme position to the right. At the moment that the button passes from the outlet-slideway 80 within the thusdefined space upon the yielding bed-plate 85 the previously-fed button will be at the point of sewing between the holdingjaws 53 54 and the means which transported the button to its position between said jaws will not have returned to their normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.) Upon thereturn of the said means which moved the button to the holding-jaws 53 54 to their normal position'(represented in Fig. 1) the said means will pass over the button 86 then upon the bed-plate 85, and during such return movement the lever 101 will be actuated to drive the centering-plate 95 toward the said button 86 for locating it withinthe V-shaped recess of the'centering-plate 93 and the finger 113 will be moved toward the right, so that the said button 86 may at the subsequent operation be moved frontwardly upon the shoes 51 52 and between the aws 53 53, the centering-plate 93 during such operation yielding frontwardly on its pivot 92, so as to permit the release of the button 86 and the movement of the same centrally upon the shoes 51 52, the said plate 93 after the button has been moved free thereof returning to its normal position (shown in Fig; 1) under the action of the coiled spring 94. v

. The direct means for engaging the button 86 when held by the centering devices upon the bed-plate 85 comprise a rotary chuck 116, (shown in detail in Figs. 18 and 19,) having a hub 117, a series of downwardly-extending fingers 118 to enter the holes of the button,

ical outline;

BEST AVAlLABLE GOP.

and a gear wheel 119, whose diameter is greaterthan the diameter of the hub 117 and at whose center is formed a recess 120 of con- The chuck 116 is substantially identical with the rotary chuck numbered 42 in the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 685,815, dated November 5, 1901, and hence. requires no special specific description herein.

In the present instance the chuck 116 is set within an aperture in the front end of a bar 121, as illustrated in Figs.'6 and 7, which bar is hinged upon a pin-122, carried by a slide 'or carriage 123.- The bar 121 from pin 122 extends upwardly and then rearwardly, the

rear portion of this bar 121 constituting a rectangular frame 124, Fig. 21, from which by the means hereinafter described the bar 121 is given its hinged movement, the said bar 121 being illustrated in itslower position in Fig. Sand in its upper or elevated position in Fig. 7. In addition to its hinged movement the bar 121 is moved forwardly and backwardly from its rear position (shown in Fig. 6) to its front position (shown in-Fig. 7)

and then back to itsrear position, (shown in Fig. 6,) and these movements ofthe bar 121 are effected from the carriage or slide 123, which moves in guides 125 and'is actuated from the oscillatory lever-arm'1-26, held at it lefthand end upona pivot-screw'127 and thence 93 extendingbetween the upper surface of the carriage 123 and the lower surface of the rectangular frame 124. The lever-arm 126 is shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9 and is formed with a slot 128, which passes upon the stud 129, fastened to the carriage 123. When the operating-end of the lever-arm 126 is'moved toward the front or toward the operator, the said lever-arm will drive the carriage 123 and parts connected therewith toward the point of sewing, andwhen the said lever-arm 126 is given a reverse movement it will move the carriage 123 rearwardlyto the position in which it is represented in Figs. 1 and 6. The lever arm 126 receives its movement from the bell-crank lever 78 in the manner hereinafter described. In order that the lever-arm 126 shall not move too freely, but be kept under a limited yielding resistance, said arm is disposed below a vertically-yielding plate 130, loosely held upon screws 131, upon which is held-a spring-plate 132, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, bows downwardly at its center and presses upon the plate 130, thus causing said plate 130 to yieldingly bear against the lever-arm 126. The screws 131 enter the upper ends of the stop-lugs 133, which limitthe throw of the lever-arm 126, being one at each side thereof, and which contain the adjustable stop-screws134, by which the throw of the lever-arm 126 may be regulated at will.

The rectangular frame 124, formed upon the rear end of the bar 121, comprises for purposes of identification a front bar 135, a rear bar 136, a left-hand side bar 137, and a right-hand side bar 138, and, as shown in Figs. 7 and 21, the left-hand side bar 137 is on a lower plane than the right-hand side bar 138. The rectangular frame 124 is open at its center, as shown in Fig. 1, and within the outline of such opening is the upper portion of a supporting-bracket 139, which is fastened by the screws 140 to the carriage 123, as shown in Fig. 7, and at its upperfrontwardlyprojecting portion supports upon a pivotscrew 141 a cam-lever 142, which is shown in perspective in Fig. 13, in side elevation in Fig. 14, and in a bottom view in Fig. 12, the topview of said lever being presented in Fig. 1. The lever 142 comprises a hub 143, having flattened faces 144', afork 145 to straddle the right-hand end of the arm 77 of the bellcrank lever 78, and two cam-arms 146 and 147, respectively, these arms being at oppositesides of the hub 143 and the arm 146being directly upon the upper surface of the left-hand arm 137 of the rectangular frame 124 and the arm 147 being directly below the right-handarm 138 of said frame. The rear end of the left-hand arm 137 of the frame 124 has an upwardly-curved cam-surface 148, as shown in Fig. 7, and the corresponding end of the right-handbar 138 of said frame 124 has a downwardly -curved cam-surface 149, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7,) and these cam-surfaces 148 149 are for cooperation with the arms 146 147, carried by the lever 142. When the carriage is moved outwardly or to ward the rear from the operator to its full limit of motion, the end of the bell-crank lever-arm 77 will by engaging the rear arm of the fork 145 of the lever 142 turn this lever and cause the end of its arm 147 to ride against the cam-surface 149 of the rectangular frame 124 and elevate said frame, thereby turning the bar 121 on the pivot-pin 122 and causing the front end of said bar to loweiflthe chuck 116 upon the button 86 then on the yielding bed-plate 85, this being the position of the parts represented in Fig. 1. The end of the bell-crank-lever arm 77 does not come into contact with the fork 145 of the lever 142 until the carriage 123 is at or nearly at its extreme rear position, and hence during the intermediate portion of the movement of the carriage 123 the bell-cranklever arm 77 will have no influence upon the lever 142. Under the condition described in which the carriage 123 has reached its extreme rear position and the bell'crank-lever arm 7 7 has turned the lever 142 and effected, through the arm 147 and cam 149, the elevation of the frame 124 and the depression of the front end of the bar 121, carrying the chuck 116, the lever 142 will be held in its position, elevating the said frame 124 by the engagement of a spring 150, fastened upon the brackets 139 by the screws 140, with one of the flat surfaces 144 of the hub 143 of said lever, as shown in Fig. 1, and hence when eer AVAlLABLE cos: 7

the chuck 116 has been lowered upon the button 86 it will remain there until the lever 142 is positively moved in a reverse direction for pressing downwardly the frame 124 or rear portion of the chuck-holding bar 121, and this will not take place until the carriage 123 and bar-121 have moved frontward ly and the chuck 116 has delivered the button 86 at the sewingpoint between the jaws 53 54, upon reaching which position the bell-crank-lever arm 77 will on its slight further movement contact with the other arm of the fork 145 of the lever 142 and turn said lever upon the screw 141, thereby overcoming the force of the spring 150 and carrying the arm 147 from the cam-surface 149 of the frame 124 and moving the arm 146 of said lever 142 rearwardly against the cam-surface 148 of said frame 124, thereby causing said arm 146 to depress the frame 124 and .turn the front end of the bar 121, carrying the chuck 116 up wardly free of the button 86 to the position shown in Fig. 7, and the frame 124, bar 121, and chuck 116 will remain in this condition and position during the receding movement of the carriage 123 and until said carriage has reached its rear position, and the then slight further rearward-movement of the bell-cranklever arm 77 shall again engage the fork of the lever 142 and, turn said lever to its former position (shown in Fig. 1) for the purpose of again depressing the bar 121 and chuck 116 upon the next button then upon the yielding bed-plate 85. When the bar 121 is turned to its upward position,-(shown in Fig. 7,) it is there held by the engagement of the spring 150 with the other flat surface 144 of the lever 142. The-purpose of depressing the arm 121 when the carriage 123 is in itsrear position is to effect the engagement of the chuck 116 with the button 86, and the purpose of maintaining the bar 121 in its lower position during the frontward travel of the carriage 123 is to enable the chuck to properly deliver the button upon the shoes 51 52 and between the button-holding jaws 53 54, and the object in then elevating the bar 121 while the chuck is at the point of sewing is to enable the chuck to fully and freely release the button, leaving the latter between the jaws 53 54, and the purpose of maintaining the bar 121 in its elevated position during the return of the carriage 123 to its rear position is to enable said bar to pass rearwardly over the button then upon the yielding bed-plate 85, the machine being so timed that a button will pass from the magazine to the bed-plate 85 before the bar 121 and chuck 116 again reach their rear positions. 1

The inner end of the lever-arm 126 contains the slot 151 and fingers 152 and 153, and the bellcranklever arm 77. carries a stud 154 (shown in Fig. 12) for cooperation with said inner end of the lever-arm 126. When the lever-arm 77 turns toward the front from the IIO position in which it is shown in Fig.1, it will first for a limited distance move independently of the lever-arm 126, and then the stud 154 will engage the finger 153 of the arm 126 and start to move said arm 126 toward the front, the said stud 154 first moving into and then out of the slot 151. When the bell-crank-lever arm 77 and the lever-arm 126 have reached a position at which the button and chuck are at the sewing-point, the stud 154 will ride away from the finger 153 of the lever-arm 126, leaving the latter stationary, while the end of said arm 77 engages the end of the fork 145 to elevate the chuck and bar 121, and then when the bell-crank-lever arm 77 starts rearwardly it will first have a slight movement without affecting the lever-arm 126, and then it will engage the finger 152 of said lever-arm 126 and move the latter, the stud 154 riding into and out of the slot 151 as said levers pass into and out of alinement with each other, and then when the carriage 123 has reached its rear position the stud 154 will pass from active contact with the lever-arm 126, leaving the latter at rest, and will have a slight further movement toward the rear sufiicient to reverse the lever 142 for the purpose of depressing the chuck 116 and bar 121. The lever-arm 77 thus operates the lever 126 to move the carriage 123 and parts carried thereby, and in addition the said lever-arm 77 performs a further independent function of operating the lever 142 to depress and elevate the bar 121 and chuck 11-6. The fork 145 of the lever 142 will always define a span greater than the width of the bell-crank-lever arm 77, so that the latter will not engage said fork except at such times as it may be desired that the lever 142 shall be turned, and in the present instance I provide the left-hand end of the lever-arm 77 with adjustable plates 155 (shown more fully in Figs. 1 and 12) for varying the width of the operating end of said lever-arm 77, and thereby controlling the movement at which said lever-arm shall engage said fork 145. The plates 155 are wellknown mechanical expedients and not claimed herein, and they are pivotally held upon the lever-arm 77 by a screw 156, and the said plates 155 are independently adjustable by small set-screws 157, concealed below the upper surfaces of said plates. The plates 155 are not essential, and they will be made use of only when, due to some wear of the parts or lack of proper centering or adjustment, said plates shall become necessary.

The bellcrank lever 78, of which the arm 77 forms a part, will be driven by any convenient means, and in the present instance I connect a driving rod 158, Fig. 1, to said lever for the purpose of operating the same, said rod 158 having merely a timed reciprocating motion imparted to it. My purpose is to drive the lever 78 by means of a foot-treadle to be applied to the machine. Machines of the class EST AVAiLABLE cos to which my invention pertains have a treadle for starting them and a knee lift or treadle for elevating the presser-foot, and I shall supply another treadle to these machines for operating the bell-crank lever 78 and through it effecting the movement of the carriage 123, carrying the bar 121 for transporting the buttons one after another to the point of sewing.

I have described hereinbefore that the feeding of the buttons from the magazine is effected from the bell-crank lever 78, a button being allowed to fall upon the outlet-slideway 80 at each inthrow of the bell-crank-lever arm 77 for moving the carriage 123 frontwardl y toward the point vof sewing. The bell-cranklever arm 77 is also utilized for imparting a vibratory motion to the lever-arm 101, which,

as hereinbefore explained, effects the sliding movement of the plate 96 of the button-centering slide 95 mounted thereon. The bellcrank-lever arm 77 carries a downwardly-projecting stud 159, which passes within the slot 160, formed in the lever-arm 101, and at which forward movement of the lever-arm 77 the pin 159, acting against the walls of the slot 160, will move the plate 96 toward the right, and thereby, through the lever 105, moving the finger 113 toward the left, so as to aid in retaining the button then escaping from the magazine, as hereinbefore explained, and at each rearward movement of the lever-arm 77 the pin 159 will reverse the motion of the lever 101, and thereby cause the latter to move the slide 96 and centering-plate 95 toward the left, so that said plate 95 may press the button then on the yielding bed-plate into the recess of the centering-plate 93, the finger 113 receding toward the right as the plate moves toward the left.

It is not possible to have the buttons arrive upon the yielding bed plate 85 with their holes in proper alinement for .the sewingneedle, and hence I provide means for automatically rotating the chuck 116 when it is in engagement with the upper surface of the buttons, and these means comprise a segmental lever 165, (shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16 and in its operative position in Fig. 1,) this segmental lever 165 being pivotally mounted upon the hinged or tiltable bar 121 by means of a screw-stud 166 and at its front end be ing toothed, as shown in Fig. 15, to engage the gear-wheel 119 of the chuck 116 for the purpose when said lever 165 is turned on its pivot of rotating said chuck. Upon the upper surface of the front portion of the lever 165 is provided a thin guard-plate 167, and the said lever 165 is provided with a segmental slot 168, up through which a screw 169, carried by the bar 121, passes, this screw cooperating with the slot 168 to limit the turning motion of the lever 165. The rear end of the lever 165 is pivoted to and receives its motion from a connecting-rod 170, composed of adjustable sections 171 and 172, the righthand end of the latter being pivotally secured on a screw-stud 173 to a short bar 174, fastened by a screw 175 to the lever-arm 49, hereinbefore referred to and which is a customary part of thesewing-machine and forms no part of the present invention. The lever-arm 49 receivesits motion in the usual manner from a rod 176, which is pivotally connected with the lever-arm 49 by a screw 177. The rod 176' has a reciprocatory mo tion and imparts an oscillatory motion to the lever-arm 49, the latter turning on its pivotserew 50. The section 171 of the'rod 170 freely passes through an eye 178 of the section 172 and at its inner threaded end passes through a lug 179 of said section 172, as shown in Fig. 1, the said threaded end of the section 171 being adjustably held in said lug 179 by means of nuts, as shown. It will be apparent that during the oscillatory motion of the lever-arm 49 the rod 170 will have a longitudinal motion imparted to it and that said rod 170 will impart an oscillatory motion to the segment-lever 165, with the result that the toothed front end of said lever 165 will rotate the chuck 116. The chuck 116 will be given two rotations-one in each direction with every button it engages. It has been explained above that the chuck 116 and its carrying-arm 121 are depressed at the end of the extreme rear movement of the carriage 123, the chuck then pressing upon the button then upon the yielding bed-plate 85, and the said chuck 116 remains stationary in its position while the machine is sewing through the first pair of holes (say delivering eight stitches thereto) of the button then held between the holding-jaws 53 54. Upon the conclusion of the sewing of the said eight stitches through the first'pair of holes in the button the leverarm49 moves to turn the presser-foot toward the right to bring the other pair of holes of the button below the sewing-needle, and during this operation of the lever-arm 49 turning toward the right at its rear end, where it is connected with the rod 176, it will draw the rod 170 toward the right and turn the operating end of. the segment-lever 165 toward the left, thereby rotating the chuck 116 while it is in engagement with the button, and this is the first movement of the lever 165 for rotating the chuck. After this first rotation of the chuck 116 the latter will remain stationary until the sewing-needle has delivered eight stitches through the second pair of holes of the button, and upon the conclusion of this operation the lever-arm 49 will return to its former position primarily for the purpose of BEST AVAlLABLE COP".

teeth of the said lever 165 will rotate the chuck 116 in a reverse direction while said chuck is still in engagement with the button on the yielding bed-plate 85. The purpose of thus rotating the chuck 116 is to enable the fingers 118 of said chuck to reach and enter the holes in the button and to then turn the button until its holes-have been brought into proper alinement to receive the sewing-needle after the button is delivered between the jaws 53 54. The fingers 118 of the chuck 116 are so placed that at the conclusion of the second motion of the chuck 116 they will bring the holes of the button into proper position to when the button is driven between the jaws 53 54 receive the sewing-needle. it is likely that upon the first depression of the chuck 116 upon the button while the latter is on the yielding bed-plate 85 the lingers 118 of said chuck will not be in line with and will not enter the holes of the button, but during the rotation of the chuck while resting upon the button the said lingers will find and enter the eyes or holes of the button, and linally the motion of said chuck will be imparted to the button. In view of the varying thicknesses of buttons and in view of the fact that the fingers 118 of the chuck may not during the first depression of the chuck enter the eyes of the button I yieldingly hold the chuck within its receiving-aperture at the front end of the bar 121 by means of a yielding spring 180, which is rigidly held upon the upper end of the screw 169 and has a portion of its front end depressed or countersunk to form the downwardl 5-de1. ending conical stud 1811, Figs. 7 and 19, which enters the conical recess 120, formed in the upper central portion of the chuck 116, this stud 181 serving as a pivot upon which the chuck 116 may rotate. The spring 180 yicldingly presses upon the chuck 116, and hence said chuck is by means of said spring held in its bearing-aperture in the front end of the bar 121 and is at the same time permitted to move vertically to a limited extent when during the depression of the chuck upon the button the lingers 118 of the chuck shall not initially enter the holes or eyes of the button.

The method of employing the attachment or attachments hereinbefore described will in large measure be understood from the explanation already given. Those portions of the attachment comprising the presser-foot (these being more particularly the arms 30 31, shoes 51 52, and jaws 53 54) are pivotally carried by the lower end of the presser-foot bar 29 and are by means of the rod 48- and arm 46 connected with the lever-arm 49, so as to re ceive their vibratory motion from said leverarm 49, as usual. The buttonholding magazinc is mounted in an inclined position upon the vertical bracket 61, which is supported from the base-plate 62 of the machine-head, and the rotary feed-disk 66 of said magazine receives its motion from the bell-crank lever 78 through the pawl-and-ratchet connections hereinbefore described. The other portions of the attachment are mounted upon the auxiliary or attachment bed-plate 63, which is rigidly fastened upon the general bed-plate 62 of the machine-head. The first step in the active operation of the machine will be to provide all of the recesses 7 O of the magazinedisk 66 with buttons, with their right side up, with the exception of those recesses intermediate the inlet-slideway 81 and outlet-slideway 80 at the left of the tray 82, and this may be accomplished without'starting the entire machine in motion, but by simply depressing the requisite number of times the foot-treadle by which the bell-crank lever 8 is operated. After the magazine has been charged with the buttons and one button has issued therefrom and moved down the outlet-slideway to its position upon theyielding bed-plate the presser-foot will be elevated in the usual way and the fabric inserted between the same, whereupon the said foot will be allowed to descendto the position in which it is represented in Figs. 1 and 2. At this time the carriage 123 having been moved frontwardly and rearwardly during the filling of the magazine the button which fell upon the bed-plate 85 will upon the last rearward movement of the said carriage have received the chuck 116,d'ue to the depression of the front end of the bar 121, and hence the machine is in condition for immediate operation. The operator will then again depress the foot-treadle for turning the bellcrank lever 78 toward the front and moving the carriage 123 and bar 121, with the chuck 116, frontwardly' from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7 for the purpose of enabling the chuck to transport the button from over the edge of the yielding bed-plate 85 to the shoes 51 52 and jaws 53 54, the bar 121, however, remaining in its lower position during its frontward travel, as hereinbefore explained. Upon the bar 121 and chuck 116 reaching their extreme front position they will, as hereinbefore pointed out, be elevated clear of the button, leaving the button between the jaws 53 5 1, and thereupon the carriage 123 and bar 121 will recede rearwardly, and the operator will at once start the general machine in operation by pressing upon the usual treadle provided in this class of machines for that purpose. The machine will deliver the proper number of stitches through the first pair of holes of the button then held between the jaws 53 5 1, and if this number shall be eight stitches at .the conclusion of the sewing of said eight stitches the lever-arm 49 will move and shift the presserfoot to carry the second pair of holes of the button below the sewing-needle, and the machine will continue in operation until the requisite number of stitches have been delivered through this second pair of holes, whereupon BEST AVAlLABLE COP".

the lever-arm 19 will return to its initial po sition and move the prcsser-foot back to its initial position and the machine will come to a stop, and thereupon the operator will lift the presser-foot, withdraw the button and fabric,

and readjust the fabric to position to receive the next button and then lower the presserfoot upon the fabric. Prior to the return of the carriage 123 and chuck-carrying hinged arm 121 to their rear position the second button was fed from the magazine upon the yielding bed-plate 85, and upon the said carriage 123 reaching its extreme rear position the frontportion of the bar 121 was turned downwardly and the chuck 116 engaged the said button, this having taken place during the sewing of the first eight stitches through the first button then between the jaws 53 54. The exact point at which the second button passed from the magazine to the yielding bed-plate 85 was just as the chuck 116 reached its extreme front position and became elevated, and

the chuck 116 having been depressed upon the second button during the sewing of the first eight stitches through the holes of the first button remains stationary on the second button until the sewing of the said eight stitches has been finished, and then the movement of the lever-arm 19 to shift the presser-foot operates through the rod 170, as hereinbefore described, to effect the turning-of the segment gear-lever 165 and chuck 116 in one direction, and then the chuck 116 will remain stationary upon the second button during the sewing of the succeeding eightstitches through the second pair of holes of the button, and thereupon the leverarm 19 moves to its former position for the purpose of returning the presser-foot to its initial position, and during this movement of the leverarm 49 the chuck is reversed in motion, as hereinbefore fully explained, and becomes stationary. The second button is therefore left in proper position to be fed to the presserfoot as soon as the first button has been sewed upon the fabric, and therefore as soon as the operator shall have removed the first button from the presser-foot and readjusted the fabric she may at once by pressing upon the foot-treadle for throwing the rod 158 and bell-crank lever 78 effect the feeding of the second button to the jaws 53 54:, and then start the machine in motion, as before. The first button which fell from the magazine 60 and was sewed upon the fabric descended upon the yielding bed-plate 85 at the time when the centering slide-plate was in its retired position toward the right and the guard-finger 113 was in its advanced position toward the left, and thus the button, though descending freely, became confined upon the bed-plate in line with the centering-plate 93, and then upon the movement to the rear of the carriage 123 the plate 95 advanced toward the left and the finger 113 retired toward the right, the movement of the plate 95 toward the left having been for the purpose ofcausing its advancing end to press the button squarely into the V-shaped recess of the centering-plate 93, so that upon the descending of the chuck 116 the latter might passdirectly and conveniently upon the button. .VVhen the chuck 116, with the bar 121, moves frontwardly to transport the button to the holding-jaws 53 54, the plate 95 may yield longitudinally toward the right under the. tension of the spring 98 and the centering-plate 93 may turn frontwardly to release the button from its V-shaped recess, said plate 93 being yieldingly held in its initial position (shown in Fig.1) by means of the spring 94. The slide or plate 96, which carries the plate 95, receives its longitudinal motion from the slotted lever 101, (shown in detail inFigs. 10 and 11,) this lever 101 being given its movement from the bell-crank lever 78 through the pin 159, carried by said lever 7 8 and entering the slot 160 of the lever 101. The carriage 123 and bar 121 receive their reciprocating or sliding movement from the pivoted lever 126, which is operated from the arm 77 of the bell-crank lever 78, the said lever 126 performing no function other than to efieet the travel frontwardly and backwardly of the carriage 123. The hinge movement of the bar 121, carrying the chuck 116, j

is due to the contact of the left-hand end of the bell-erank-lever arm 77 with the fork of the cam-lever 42 after the lever 126 has moved the carriage 123 to the ends of its line of travel, the then slight further movement of the said lever-arm 77 serving to carry the latter from the lever-arm 126 and into engagement with the fork of the cam-lever 142, so as to. turn said lever 142 and efiect, when the carriage 123 is at its extreme rear position, the depression of the chuck 116 upon the button and when said carriage is at its extreme-front position the elevation of thesaid chuck from the button, the latter being then left free between the holding-jaws 53 54 to be sewed on the fabric.

The yielding bed-plate during the employment of the machine will yield to the varying thickness and conditions of buttons, and hence I provide meansnot only for yieldingly supporting the button, but a yielding chuck for engaging the upper surface of the button, and this combination of devices results in the machine developing great efficiency in handling buttons under their varyin g conditions.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a machine for sewing on buttons, the prcsser-foot bar having the pivoted arms 30, 31, the elongated shoes 51, 52 carried at the lower ends of said arms and forming a path for the buttons as they are fed to the point of sewing, the button-holding pivoted jaws 53,

eEsT AVAlLABLE coP '11 54 on said shoes, a spring for normally moving said arms toward each other, and springs for normally moving said jaws toward each other, combined with means for feeding the buttons along said shoes and to said jaws; substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for sewing on buttons, the presser-foot bar having the pivoted arms 30, 31, the elongated shoes 51, 52 carried at the lower ends of said arms and forming a path for the buttons as they are fed to the point of sewing, the button-holding pivoted jaws 53, 54 on said shoes, a spring for normally moving said arms toward each other, and springs for normally moving said aws toward each other, combined with a magazine holding a number of the buttons, means for effecting the discharge of said buttons, one at a time, from said magazine, means for alining the eyes of the buttons for the sewing operation, and means for moving the buttons upon said shoes and between said jaws; substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and means for moving the buttons from said bedplate to said jaws, combined with means for positioning the buttons on said bed-plate comprising the pivote'd notched plate 93 and sliding plate 95, with means for actuating said plate 95 to move against the buttons and press them into the notch of said plate 93 preparatory to their movement to the point of sewing; substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and means for moving the buttons from said bedplate to said jaws, combined with means for positioning the buttons on said bed-plate com prising the pivoted notched plate 93, the sliding plate 96 having a positive movement, the sliding plate 95 secured to said plate 96 by a loose connection and the spring 98 drawing said plate 95 in a direction toward said notched plate, with means for actuating said plate 96 to move the end of plate 95 against the buttons and press them into the notch of said plate 93 preparatory to their movement to the point of sewing; substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and means for moving the buttons from said bedplate to said jaws, combined with means for confining and positioning the buttons on said bedplate comprising the pivoted notched plate 93, the sliding plate 95, and linger 113, with means for actuating said plate 95 to move against the buttons and press them into the notch of said plate 93 preparatory to their movement to the point of sewing, and means for moving said finger 113 along the edge of said bed-plate when said plate 95 is at its outward position from said plate 93 and moving said finger 113 in a direction from said plate 93 when said plate 95 approaches said plate 93; substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and means for moving the buttons from said bedplate to said jaws, combined with means-for confining and positioning the buttons on said bed"- plate comprising the pivoted notched plate 93, the sliding plate 96 having a positive movement, the sliding plate 95 secured to said plate 96 by a loose connection, the spring 98 drawing said plate 95 in a direction toward said notched plate, the bar 109 parallel with said plate 96 and having the guard-finger 113, the double-ended lever 105 engaging by a loose connection said plate 96 and said bar 109 for transmitting motion from said plate 96 to said bar and guard-finger, with means for actuating said plate 96 to move the end of said plate 95 against the buttons and press them into the notch of said plate 93 preparatory to their movement to the point of sewing; substantially as set forth.

7 In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the'individual buttons, jaws for holding'the buttons at the point of sewing, the rotary chuck having depending fingers for engaging the eyes of the buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving said buttons to said jaws, and a bar carrying said chuck, combined with means for depressing said bar to lower said chuck upon said buttons at said bed-plate, automatic means for rotating said chuck while in its lower position for alining the eyes of said buttons, mechanism for moving said bar while depressed to cause the said chuck to carry the alined buttons to said jaws, mechanism for then elevating said bar and chuck from the button at the point of sewing and returning the same to their former position over said bed plate, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their elevated position during such return movement, and means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their lower position during their travel from said bed-plate to said jaws; substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, the rotary chuck having depending fingers for en gaging the eyes of the buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving said buttons to said jaws, and a bar carrying said chuck, combined with means for depressing said bar to lower said chuck upon said buttons at said bed-plate, automatic means for rotating said chuck while in its lower position for alining the eyes of said buttons, mechanism for moving said bar while depressed to cause the saidchuck to carry the alined buttons to said jaws, mechanism for then elevating said bar and chuck from the button at the point of sewing and returning the same to their former position over said bed-plate, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their elevated position during such return movement, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their lower position during their travel from said bed-plate to said jaws,a magazine for containing a number of the buttons, means for feeding said buttons, one after another, from the said magazine to said bedplate, and operative means for then engaging said buttons and positioning the same below said chuck prior to the depression of the latter; substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a

bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, the rotary chuck having depending lingers for engaging the eyes of, the buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving said buttons to said jaws, and a bar carrying said chuck, combined with means for depressing said bar to lower said chuck upon said buttons at said bed-plate, automatic means for rotating said chuck while in its lower position for alining the eyes of said buttons, mechanism for moving said bar while depressed to cause the said chuck to carry the alined buttons to said jaws, mechanism for then elevat ing said bar and chuck from the button at the point of sewing and returning the same to their former position over said bed-plate, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their elevated position during such return movement, and means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their lower position during their travel from said bed-plate to said jaws, said automatic means for rotating said chuck being connected with the means for shifting the presser-foot of the machine and timed to give said chuck, while at the bed-plate, a rotation in one direction when said foot shifts to bring the second pair of eyes of the button then at the point of sewing into position for the sewing-needle and then a rotation in a reverse direction when said foot moves back to its initial position; substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, the rotary chuck having depending fingers for engaging the eyes of the buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and mov- IIO seer AVAILABLE cos:

ing said buttons to said jaws, and a bar carrying said chuck, combined with means for depressing said bar to lower said chuck upon said buttons at said bed-plate, automatic means for rotating-said chuck while in its lower position for alining the eyes of said buttons, mechanism for moving said bar while depressed to cause the said chuck to carry the alined buttons tosaid jaws, mechanism for then elevating said bar and chuck from the button at the point of sewing and returning the same to their former position over said bed-plate, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their elevated position during such return movement, means for maintaining said bar and chuck in their lower position during their travel from said bed-plate to said jaws, a magazine for containing a number of the buttons, means for feeding said buttons, one after another, from the said magazine to said bed-plate, and operative means for then en gaging said buttons and positioning the same below said chuck prior to the depression of the latter, said automatic means for rotating said chuck being connected with the means for shifting the presser-foot of the machine and timed to give said chuck, whileat the bed-plate, a rotation in one direction when said foot shifts to bring the second pair of eyes of the button then at the point of sewing into position for the sewing-needle and then a rotation in-a reverse direction when said foot moves back to its initial position; sub stantially as set forth.

11. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a vertically-yielding bed-plate 85 at one side of the point of sewing-to receive the individual buttons, jaws for-holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and means for feeding the buttons to such bed plate, combined with means for engaging the eyes of said buttons from their upper ends at said bed-plate and moving said buttons to said jaws; substantially as set' forth. I

12. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a Vertically-yielding bed-plate at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, a rotary chuck having depending fingers for engaging the eyes of the buttons from their upper ends at such bedplate, and means for rotating said chuck while in engagement with said buttons for positioning the eyes of said buttons, combined with means for causing said chuck to deliver-the buttons to said jaws; substantially as set forth. 13. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a vertically-yielding bed-plate 85 at one'side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, the rotary chuck for engaging the eyes of the buttons at their upper ends at such bed-plate, means for rotating said chuck to aline the eyes of said buttons,

and a spring engaging the upper end of said chuck so as to render the latter vertically yielding, combined with means for causing said chuck to move the buttons to said jaws; substantially as set forth.

14. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a vertically-yielding bedplate 85 at one side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, automatic means for feeding the buttons, one after another, to said bedplate, automatic means for positioning the buttons on said bed-plate in line with the point of sewing, the rotary chuck having depending fingers to engage the'cyes of said buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate, and, means for rotating said chuck while in engagement with the buttons for alining the eyes of the latter, combined with means for causing said chuck todelivcr the buttons to said jaws; substantially as set forth.

15. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a vertically-yielding bed-plate atone side of the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, automatic means for feeding the buttons, one after another, to said bedplate, the notched plate 94: upon said bedplate for positioning the buttons thereon, the sliding plate 95 for moving the buttons into the notch of said 'plate 94, and means for moving said plate 95,'combined with the rotary chuck having dependent'fingers for engaging the eyes of said buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving said buttons to said jaws, and means for rotating said chuck for alining the eyes of said buttons; substantially as set forth.

16. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a bed-plate at one sidoof the point of sewing to receive the individual buttons, jaws for holding the buttons at the 'point of sewing, and the rotary chuck having the depending lingers for engaging the eyes of the buttons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving them to said jaws, combined with means for depressing said chuck upon said buttons and elevating said chuck therefrom, and automatic means for imparting two reverse rotary movements'to said chuck for alining the eyes of said buttons, said means for rotating said chuck being timed with the means for shifting the presser-foot of the sewing-machine; substantially as set forth.

17. In a machine for sewing on buttons, a

bed-plate to receive the individual buttons,

means for holding the buttons at the point of sewing, and a rotary chuck having depending fingers for engaging the eyes of the but tons from their upper ends at such bed-plate and moving said buttons to the point of sewing, combined with the hinged bar 121 carrying said chuck and having at its rear portion the reverselyarranged cams 14:8, 149, the 

